Cleaning apparatus



sept. 19, 1933. F M, H|| GER|NK 1,927,495

CLEANING APPRATUS Filed March 2, 1932 Patented Sept. 19, 1933 c -iUnirse STATES PATENT orgies CLEANING APPARATUS FrankM. Hilgerink,Chicago, 111. Application March k2, 1932. Serial No. 596,233

s claims. (o1. 299-84) This invention relatesr to a new and improvedeffected have been highly successful in commerapparatus for producing apermanent suspension cial applications, particularly in view of theiinof oil in water, in the nature of a colloidal susproved resultsrealized over the prior practice of pension, which has specialusefulness and value hand washing and scrubbing and the like. Howas acleaning iiuid adapted for removing oil, ever, the uses for this type ofcleaning process 60 grease and dirt from surfaces such as the mehave soincreasedvand the necessity for greater tallicA and other surfaces oflocomotives, railway efliciency has become so important the presentcars, machinery and the like. invention has been developed as a markedim- The type of oil suspension and the nature of the provement over theprocesses and apparatus herecleaning fluid produced by the apparatus ofthis tofore knownand used.

invention will be better understood by referring Accordingly, it is anobject of the present into United States Patent No. 1,135,001 issued onvention to provide an apparatus which will pro- April 13th, 1915, toDurham and McGuirk, whereduce a greater sub-division of the oilparticles in the Value of a suspension of nely divided oil in the wateror at least produce an oil and water particles in water as a cleaningfluid for the pursuspension which is more active in its cleaning 70poses herein referred to is set forth. The Durham properties thansuspensions heretofore provided patent however, provides a method forobtaining and used.

`an oil suspension which involves the feeding of a It is a furtherobject of this invention to prorelatively small quantity of oil into awater line vide an apparatus for feeding predetermined '20 whichterminates with a spraying nozzle, and, quantities of oil to a stream ofhot waterwhich 75 the use of an air blast at the nozzle for ejectment iseffective to cause a greater subdivisionof the oil with the oil andWater miXture. In other words, in water at the point of introductionlthan has Durhams process utilizes air under pressure as been possibleheretofore. In the accomplishment the means for subdividing the oil andas the means of this object, the apparatus of this invention producingthe desired oilsuspension. The cleaninvolves means for heating the oilprior to its 80 ing value of apermanent suspension of arelativelyintroduction into the water stream whereby an small quantity of oil andhot water under presentirely new and unexpected feeding action resure isset forth in the Durham patent and in sults. The heating of the. oil toapproximately addition, has been proven by years of successful thetemperature of the water as contemplated in commercial application. Thetheory of operathis invention apparently causes the oil to aption as setforth in said patent, and as now proach the vapor phase and in so doing,to exhibit understood by those skilled in the art, is based lan entirelynovel feeding action. Under these upon what is believed to be anelectro-chemical circumstances, the oil, when ejected, from the activityof the oil particles when sub-divided to nozzle of the control valveenters the water stream 3,5 that degree, productive of apermanent orcolloidal in the form of a mist which is highly suggestive suspension inwater. of the action of a gas. This characteristic be- The impingement,as when directed from a havior is represented in Figure 3 of thedrawing.

nozzle under pressure, of such suspension is found The individual oilparticles are many times to exhibit a remarkable cleaning effect whichis smaller than those obtained by oil feeding mechagreatly in excess ofthe cleaning effects, acting nisrns of 'priorart cleaning devices ofthis type.

jointly, provided by, first, the dislodging action Y It should beunderstood that the feeding mechaof the stream, and secondly, thewashing and disnism here described produces a colloidal suspensolvingeffects of the oil and water. Apparently sion of oil in water withoutrequiring increased the oil particles possess a marked afnity for thesubdivision at the ejecting nozzle and therefore particles of foreignmatter with the result that it is unecessary for the purpose of securinggood O O the washing andV dislodging effects are greatly cleaningresults to provide ejecting nozzles of multiplied in producing theunusual and effective special construction. In certain instanceshowcleaning action. v ever, if desired, it is entirely in keeping withthis The commercial application of this -type of disclosure to use anozzle which may produce @0 cleaning iiuid, up to the present time, hasinmechanical agitation or toutilize compressed air volvedthe use of ablast of air, introduced into at the nozzle to agitate and further mixthe susthe hotk mixture of oil and water at the location pension justpriorto ejectment.

of the nozzle in substantially the manner de- The action here describedis obtainable with scribed in the Durham patent above referred to. anyof a large number of different types of oils.

This method and apparatus by which it was The only restriction is that`the oil must be a 1.10

vthat of the water.

freely flowing oil and it is preferred although not absolutelynecessary, that the oil be a mineral oil having a paralhn base.

This invention possesses special advantages in that the expense andtrouble of providing and using compressed air may be dispensed with.

These and other objects not specifically enumerated are contemplated forthe present invention as will readily appear to one skilled in the artas the following description proceeds.

The present invention utilizes the ,discovery that an improved cleaningfluid may be provided and a highly permanent or colloidal suspension ofoil in water may be obtained with the elimination of the blast of airformerly employed, if a greater degree of subdivision of the oil iseffected during the oil feeding and introducing operation as when theoil is fed into the water line while hot.

This invention is therefore productive of the highly improved resultsflowing from a greater vsubdivision of the oil at the point of enteringthe water stream. This invention contemplates the use of hot -oil asdistinguished from oil at ordinary temperatures as formerly employed.

In the present disclosure, by way of example the heating is accomplishedby causing the hot water supply pipe to pass through the -oil tank sothat as here disclosed, the oil feed to the water line will be at atemperature equal to substantially Whereas it would be expected that theheating of the oil `would have the utility of lowering the viscosity ofthe oil, and would serve in winter, to .establish an operationsubstantially like that of summer, it has been found that an entirelynew and unexpected feeding action results. Instead of the oil enteringthe water line Vin minute globules such as occasioned when fed from oldtypes of apparatus, it enters as what appears to be a fan-shaped mist ofinnitesimal individual and separated particles, of size 4almostimpercepticle to the naked eye, except collectively.

It is estimated that the oil particles are from .one-ftieth to onehundredth the size of the particles formerly obtained. It is believedthat this action is attributable to the fact that the oil at the highertemperature has approached the vapor phase and .in this condition ofexistence is subject to .an entirely different behavior upon enteringthe water stream.

With this in mind, it will be appreciated that the desired colloidalsuspension may oe readily obtained with greater ease and less expenseand that the inventioneliminates the necessity for using air at thenozzle and therefore is adapted for use in connection with an ordinarynozzle or .mechanical agitating means at the location of the nozzle.

The .nature of the invention may be more readily understood by referringto the accompanying drawing in whichthat the apparatus disclosedcomprises an oil tank lo'adapted to contain oil which may be introducedthrough a funnel controlled by the valve 12. fn the filling operation,the tank may be vented at the top by means of a valve 13, which controlsa communicating passage between the upper portion of the tank and theexternal atmosphere. The tank is preferably provided with sight gauges14, arranged to indicate the oil level throughout substantially theentire height of the tank. lt is of course obvious that a single sightgauge may be provided to replace the two sight gauges arranged as hereshown.

In connection with the tank, a supply of hot water under pressure isprovided from any suitable source but which is directed through a pipe115 which yenters the lower portion of tank 10 as shown in Figure 1.Just before entering the tank, it is preferable to provide a valve 100for controlling the supply of water. Pipe 115 passes to the centralportion of the tank and is `then directed upwardly to a point near thetop thereof and thence outwardly and downwardly to connect on theoutside of the tank with pipe 15.

A portionV of the water supplied in the line 15 is directed downwardlythrough a pipe 16, the passage in which may be controlled by the Vvalve17, and then through pipes 18 and 19 past the ball check valve 20, andinto the base Vof Ythe tank. The water thus introduced may be regulatedas to quantity and upon entering the tank, acts t-o displace the oilupwardly in a manner to force the oil into the upwardly extendingchamber 21, at the top of the tank and downwardly through the centrallydisposed oil feed pipe 22.

vThe oil feed pipe 22 penetrates the wall of the tank at a suitablelocation such as at 23 and then extends upwardly through the feedcontrol valve 24, sight gauge 25 and pipe 26, and connects withthecontinuation of the main water line designated on Figure 1 as 27, 28 and29. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the oil enters the sight gauge bypassage through a nozzle '50 which is provided with a relatively smallorifice 51. At the juncture of pipe portions 27 and 28, a onewayspring-pressed valve 30, is provided, the spring 31 of which isadjustable by means of cap Y32, to vary at will, the seating pressure ofthe valve. A pressure gauge k33 is preferably provided in communicationwith pipe line portion 29 by means of a connecting pipe 34. The lowerend of pipe line portion 29 extends to and is connected with the pipeline 35 which leads to a location in convenient proximity to the place.

where the cleaning operations are performed. Inasmuch as one oil tankand its accompanying oil feeding mechanism is, under ordinary practice,sufficient to supply cleaning fluid to a plurality of nozzles it will beusual to extend pipe line 35 sufficiently to enable the connection of anumber of take-off pipes or hoses 36; corresponding to the number ofnozzles to be used. As the nozzles will be duplicates of each other inconstruction and in the manner of connecting with pipe line 35, only oneis here shown, which will be understood to be representative of anydesired number or types which can be conveniently supplied from one tankand cil feeding mechanism.

invention constitutes an improvement over prior apparatus in that it isproductive of a positive oil feed into the water line subject totheminute control, and a greater sub-divisionof the oil in the waterresulting in a more thorough mixture of oil and water in the water line.

Referring now particularly to Figures 2 and 3,

the marked difference in the feeding action will be noted, and fromFigure 3, it will be observed that the heating of the oil is productiveof a fanlike stream of minute particles which are many times smallerthan the globules produced with unheated oil. v

In actual performance, the difference in the particle size is evengreater than here represented as the size of the particles in Figure 3have been exaggerated for the purpose of illustration.

In operation, it is preferable to employ water under pressure at atemperature of approximately between 130 and 160 degrees F. However, thesaine advantageous feeding action results with a water and oiltemperature as low as 110 to 120 degrees F.

It is to be understood that any suitable heating means may be employedfor heating the oil prior to its introduction into the water line. Thismay be accomplished by means associated with the oil tank either in oraround said tank or associated with the feed line from said tank so thatthe oil is brought to the proper elevated temperature. The advantagewhich results from utilizing the heated oil is that the apparatus isconverted into what may be considered as a colloidal machine whichproduces colloidal suspensions of the type herein referred to, adaptedfor cleaning purposes without the utilization of compressed air or anyparticular action at the location of the spraying nozzle.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, awater pipe adapted to be connected at one end to a source of hot waterunder pressure and at its other end to a spray nozzle, a tank of oil,pipe connections for feeding water from said water pipe to said oil tankand oil from said oil tank to said water pipe and an adjustable checkvalve in said water pipe located between the points of connection withsaid water pipe of said water feed and oil. feed pipes, said water pipepassing through said tank of oil whereby to heat said oil tosubstantially the temperature of said water.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising in combination,`a water pipe connected at one end, to a source of hot Water, maintainedunder substantially uniform pressure and at its other end, to a spraynozzle, a tank of oil, having a portion of said water pipe passingtherethrough in heat transferring association with said oil, a waterfeed pipe connecting said water pipe and tank of oil and an oil feedpipe connecting said tank of oil and said water pipe and means in saidwater pipe for decreasing the water pressure at the connection where theoil enters said water pipe.

3. An apparatus for producing a collodial suspension consisting of thefollowing elements, in combination; a Water pipe adapted for connectionat one end to a source of hot water under pressure and at its other endto a spray nozzle, a tank containing oil having means associatedtherewith for heating said oil, a pipe connecting the lower portion ofsaid oil tank, and said water pipe, and a second pipe connecting the topportion of said oil tank and said water pipe and a check valve in saidwater pipe located between the connections of said two pipes andconstructed to permit the liow of liquid in said water pipe in thedirection of from said first connecting pipe to said second connectingpipe while preventing now in the reverse direction.

4. An apparatus for producing a colloidal suspension consisting of thefollowing elements, in combination; a water pipe adapted for connectionat one end to a source of hot water under pressure and at its other endto a spray nozzle, a

tank containing oil having means associated` therewith for heating saidoil, a water feed pipe connecting the lower portion of said oil tank tosaid water pipe and an oil feed pipe connecting the top portion of saidtank and said water pipe and means in said water pipe located betweenthe connections of -said two feed pipes for decreasing thewater pressurein said water line whereby the pressure at the point of connection ofsaid oil pipe and'water feed pipe is less than the pressure in saidtank.

5.-An apparatus for producing a colloidal suspension consisting of thefollowing elements, in combination; a water pipe adapted for connectionat one end to a source of hot water under pressure and at its other endto a spray nozzle, a tank containing oil having means associatedtherewith for heating said oil, a water feed pipe connecting the lowerportion of said oil tank to said water pipe and an oil fed pipeconnecting the top portion of said tank and said water pipe and means insaid water pipe located between the connections of said two fed pipesfor decreasing the water pressure in said water line whereby thepressure at the point of connection of said oil pipe and water feed pipeis less than the pressure in said tank.

6. An apparatus for producing a colloidal suspension consisting of thefollowing elements, in combination; a water pipe adapted for connectionat one end to a source of hot water under pressure and at its other endto a spray nozzle, a tank containing oil having means associatedtherewith for heating said oil, a water feed pipe connecting the lowerportion of said oil tank to said water pipe and an oil feed pipeconnecting the top portion of said tank and said water pipe and means insaid water pipe located between the connections of said two feed pipesfor decreasing the water pressure in said water line whereby thepressure at the point of connection of said oil pipe and water feed pipeis less than the pressure in said tank, and a relatively small oilfeeding orifice at the location of said last named connection.

'7. An apparatus of the character described for producing a colloidalsuspension consisting of the following elements, in combination; a waterpipe connected at one end to a source of hot water under pressure and atits other end to a spray nozzle, a tank of oil having means associatedtherewith, for heating said oil, a water feed pipe connecting said waterpipe and tank of oil and an oil feed pipe connecting said tank of oiland said' water pipe and means in said water pipe for decreasing thewater pressure at the connection where the oil enters said water pipe.

8. An apparatus of the character described for producing a colloidalsuspension consisting of the following elements, in combination; a waterpipe connected at one end to a source of hot water under pressure, andat its other end to a spray nozzle, a tank of oil having meansassociated therewith for heating said oil, a water feed pipe connectingsaid water pipe and tank of oil and an oil feed pipe connecting saidtank of oil and said water pipe, means for decreasing the water pressureat the connection where the oil enters said water pipe and'means at saidlast named connection constituting a relatively vminute oil feedingorifice. v Y

FRANK M. HILGERINK.

